We took a taxi to Granville Island a place in the shadow of the bridge spanning the Fraser River. Here markets, restaurants, galleries and shops are to be found. Highly recommended by locals and tourists it is bustling and crowded.
The food market highlights the best of produce but it is the presentation which takes the eye. There is almost no plastic wrapping: delicate fruit such as raspberries or cherries are piled artistically in cardboard punnet whilst large fruit is loose for buyer choice.
Meat, chicken, fish are artistically displayed.
Every conceivable food is available. Stalls devoted to donuts, French pastries, fudge, chocolate - you name it!
Lunch choices abound. I had salmon chowder served with crusty bread and Marg a croisant filled with ham and cheese.
We both had a French cake shaped like a tiny fluted volcano - yum - and not too rich.
Seating is everywhere and people chat as they share a table. There are signs warning about seagulls. One man was carefully carrying his lunch when he was dive bombed by a huge seagull causing him to spill the lot! Certainly bigger seagull than your average Aussie gulls. Heaps of very well behaved dogs!
This busker had a wonderful voice and a very easy style entertaining us with old favourites such as "It's a wonderful world" and "Falling in love again".
The marina is full of water craft so closely packed you wonder how the boats could leave the berths. A lot of dollars floating here!
On the other side of the market waterbuses ply along the harbour.
Such a short visit and a narrow snapshot cannot really allow you to formulate a considered opinion of Vancouver but we got an impression of a vibrant and exciting city. The streetscapes are full of beautiful mature trees and colourful hanging baskets and flower displays. The skyline is full of high rises but contrasting and thrilling in their architecture.
There's obviously wealth here , evident in the stylish and elegant homes which inhabit the suburb and the stylish high-rise condominiums not to mention the very expensive restaurants and shopping.But there's poverty too - many streets around the expensive downtown hotels and shops have homeless people sleeping out, going through bins and holding out cups hoping for a coin or two. Some seem to appear around 4.30, set up shop in a business like way with a sign and a cup, others just put down a piece of cardboard and curl up. In the morning they gather their belongings and disappear. Where do they go? Apparently there is a designated camping area which provides help but perhaps not enough to go around.
Sirens are sounding during much of the night. People are rushing everywhere and the day starts early and finishes late for many. The traffic seems organised chaos! Much tooting of horns but generally gets sorted out quickly.
Across from our hotel is the Fairmont Vancouver with its elegant facade - hundreds of rooms and very expensive but guests don't get the view we do!
Tomorrow we are off to Jasper - a journey of around 800k - by bus! I may be guilty of not quite enough googling!
No comments:
Post a Comment